Russia and Ukraine exchanged 205 prisoners of war each on Friday (15 May), marking the first phase of a planned large-scale prisoner swap linked to ongoing diplomatic efforts surrounding the Ukraine war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the released Ukrainian personnel had been held in Russian captivity since 2022, following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the exchange and said the returned Russian servicemen were transferred to Belarus for medical and psychological assessments. The ministry also thanked the United Arab Emirates for providing humanitarian assistance during the process.
Key developments:
- 205 prisoners of war were exchanged by each side.
- Zelenskyy described the swap as the first stage of a planned 1,000-for-1,000 exchange.
- Russian state media reported both countries also exchanged the bodies of fallen soldiers.
- The exchange follows a recently announced three-day ceasefire, which both sides accused each other of violating.
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